Pallet rack



Oct. 13, 1964 Filed Feb. 1. 1960 E. M. sELKREGc-z, JR.. ETAL 3,152,670

PALLET RACK 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENToRS ATTORNEYS 2%@ 6.' Valli an Oct.13, 1964 E. M. sELKREGG, JR., ETAL 3,152,670

PALLET RACK Filed Feb. 1, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS g,J: Mrz@ qazzTOENEKS Wllnllklll Oct.i13, 1964 E. M. SELKREGG, JR., ETAL 3,152,570

PALLET RACK 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 1. 1960 I N VEN TORS Edward M.Selkzqqg, J1:

EY jl'm TTORNEYS Oct. 13, 1964 E. M. SELKREGG, JR., ETAL PALLET RACK 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. l, 1960 INVENTORJS EMJM 522km@ t Egg/wg C (Ziazz m/Wfw ATTNEYS United States Patent O 3,152,670 PALLE'I RACK EdwardM. Selkregg, dr., and Rodney C. Colligan, North East, Pa., assignors toBernard Gloekler North East Co., North East, Pa., a corporation ofPennsylvania Filed Feb. 1, 1960, Ser. No. 5,961 3 Claims. (Cl. 189-36)This invention relates to a pallet or similar rack adapted to havearticles stored thereon and of the type where articles are usuallylifted to and from storage position on the rack by fork trucks or thelike, and particularly relates to novel attachments for such a rack andmeans for releasably locking such attachments in place. The basic rackstructure is essentially that disclosed in our copending applicationSerial No. 814,226, filed May 19, 1959, and entitled Pallet Rack and nowPatent No. 3,097,747.

The present application is directed to novel and improved attachmentsand accessories to be used with such a rack as disclosed in thecopending application. In general, the invention herein comprises arelated system of accessories and attachments substantially all designedto cooperate in the same way with the novel features of the basic rackso that they are interchangeable and adjustable thereon, and a novellocking means interchangeably useable with any or all such attachments.

The attachments constitute a system of accessories which includesreinforcing elements whereby the loadcarrying capacity of the basic rackstructure may be materially increased either temporarily or permanentlyby reinforcing elements releasably secured to columns of the rack.

A further accessory attachment consists of connector devices wherebycolumn members may be placed one on top the other in vertical alignmentand the connector elements engaged therewith to hold the column membersin the desired relationship against inadvertent displacement whereby theoverall height and capacity of a rack may be increased.

Another of the novel attachments comprises a brace structureinterlocking with a column and adapted to brace that column with respectto an adjacent rack or a wall or other suitable bracing abutment. Thebrace structure is adjustable in length whereby a single brace may beused at any of many diterent locations requiring braces of dif- -ferentlengths.

A still further attachment included in the system is a reel bearingadapted to be releasably and adjustably secured to a column to form abearing for the shaft of a reel whereby reels may be stored on the rackand wherein material may be withdrawn therefrom or wound thereon withoutremoving the reel from its storage position on the rack.

All of the above-mentioned attachments have common structural featureswhereby they interlock with the basic column structure and arereleasably locked in such positions by a novel spring pin structure. Thespring pin structure may be used with any and all of the attachmentswithout modification, all as will be pointed out more fully hereinafter.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a rack structurewith detachable and adjustable attachments therefor and in combinationwith a releasable locking means useable with any or all of theattachments.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel reinforcing barstructure for a rack which may be selectively applied to or removed froma rack as the need arises to increase the load-carrying capacitythereof.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a ICC novel columnconnector to lock similar columns in vertically aligned end-abuttingrelation to increase the height of all or part of a rack.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel brace structurefor a storage rack.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel reelbearing releasably attachable to a storage rack to provide a bearingsupport for the shaft of a reel or the like.

An additional object is to provide a novel pinch-pin locking meansuseable with any of the attachments heretofore mentioned and cooperatingtherewith and the column structure of the rack to releasably lock anyattachment in place and providing for ready and efiicient removalthereof for rapid mounting, adjustment, or removal of an attachment.

Other and additional objects and advantages will become apparent tothose skilled in the art as the description proceeds with reference tothe accompanying drawings, wherein: Y

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a storage rack schematically showing thegeneral arrangement thereof and most Vof the novel attachments of thisinvention mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a front View of a column joint illustrating the novel columnconnector and locking means of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational View of the structure of FIG. 2. as viewedfrom the left side thereof;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a novel pinch-pin locking means of thepresent invention;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view, similar to FIG. 2, but `illustratingthe use of reinforcing bars for a rack column;

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional View taken substantially along the line7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective View, with parts broken away, of one of thereinforcing bars of FIGS. 6 and 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective View of one form of novel brace;

FIG. l0 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 10-10 ofFIG. 9;

FIG. l1 is a perspective view of another form of novel rack brace;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a rack columnshowing a novel reel bearing attachment thereon; and

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 12 but illustrating a different formof reel bearing attachment.

FIG. 1 shows a storage rack having columns 2, which may consist of pairsof columns arranged as front and rear columns and joined by suitablebracing or locking members 4. Extending horizontally between certain ofthe columns 2 are rails 6 adapted to support pallets 8 upon whichmerchandise or other material to be stored is placed. As shown, pallets8 may also be placed on the oor below the lowermost rails 6. Thestructure of columns 2 and rails 6 and the manner of releasably mountingthe rails on the columns is fully shown and described in the aforesaidcopending application Serial No. 814,226. However, all of thecharacteristics of the columns 2 which are involved in the presentinvention will be described indetail herein.

The rack shown in FIG, 1 includes certain columns consisting ofvertically aligned column members held in aligned relationship by columnconnectors 10. Numeral 12 indicates generally a novel brace structureadapted for use with a rack of the type shown whereby a column of therack may be braced relative to any desired abutment structure which maybe a further rack, as shown in FIG. 1, or a wall or other fixed bracingabutment, as will be described. FIG. 1 lalso schematically shows twoforms of novel reel bearings 14 and 16 whereby the shaft 18 of a storagereel 20 may be rotatably supported on the rack at any desired elevationso that the contents of the reel may be withdrawn at will withoutnecessitating removal of the reel from the rack.

FIG. 4 shows one of the columns 2 in section and as shown therein thecolumn comprises a front web 22 and rearwardly extending substantiallyflat parallel side flanges 24. At their rear portions the side flanges24 are reversely bent, as Iat 26, to define small flange portions 28 inspaced relation to the outer faces of side flanges 24 and definingtherewith forwardly facing shallow grooves 30. The grooves 30 faceforwardly in the direction of the front web 22. The front web 22 of eachcolumn 2 is provided with parallel vertical rows of spaced openings orelongated slots 32. FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 illustrate the column connector ofthe present invention and which comprises a pair of connector plates 34.The plates 34 are of the same structure and function, one being areverse or mirror image of the other. The description of one willtherefore suiiice. The plates 34 are in face-abutting relation to theouter surfaces of side flanges 24 and are positioned with their rearmostedges extending fairly snugly but removably into the grooves 30,previously described. Hook means at the forward edges of the plates 34comprise inwardly bent front flange portions 36, each being providedwith at least two inwardly and downwardly directed hook elements 38. Thehook elements 38 are so spaced and configured that each plate may beslid rearwardly along the outer faces of side flanges 34 to projecttheir rear edges into the grooves 30 and to project their hook elements38 into the openings 32 in front web 22. Thereafter the plates 34 areslid downwardly to engage the downwardly extending hook elements 38behind the web 22 and thus positively position the connector plates onthe column 2.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the column 2 is made up of an upper columnelement and an identical lower column element arranged in verticallyaligned end-abutting relation and forming a joint at 40. The connectorplates 34 thus positively lock the upper and lower column elements inthe described aligned relationship against any relative lateral movementor any relative rotation about their longitudinal axes. It is to benoted that the rear edges of each of the plates 34 extend into theforwardly facing grooves of both the upper and lower column members andthe hooks 38 prevent inadvertent removal of the connector plates in aforward direction, there being .at least `one hook 38 of each plate 34in an opening 32 in each or the column members.

To securely lock the connector plates 34 in the described position, thepinch-pin locking means 45 of FIG. 5 are employed. For this purpose theside anges 24 of the column members are provided with openings 42therethrough near the grooves 30. The connector plates 34 are alsoprovided with openings 44 aligned with the openings 42 when theconnector plates are in the position on the column. Releasable lockingpins 46 extend through the aligned openings 42 and 44 and areresiliently held therein and urged outward-ly by a bowed spring 48having the pins 46 respectively secured to its ends. As clearly shown inFIG. 5, the bowed spring 48 is of generally U-shape but is provided witha complete spring loop 50 at its bight portion. The ends of the bowedspring 48 are looped around and securely clamped to inner end por-tionsof pins 46. Adjacent integral collars'52 are formed on the pins 46. Thecollars 52 define outwardly facing shoulders on the locking pins tolimit the outward movement thereof in openings 42 and 44. As will beapparent from the drawings, the spring 48 is positiona'ble between theside flanges l24 and may be manually squeezed to permit entry of pins 46between the side flanges. The pins are then placed in alignment with theopenings 42 and 44 and the spring 48 released to project the pinsoutwardly to the position of FIG. 4 into locking engagement with theside iianges of the column and the openings in the connector plates tothereby securely lock the column connectors in the desired position.Obvously the locking pins may be withdrawn at will when it is desired toremove an upper column member. As shown, each column connector plate 34is provided with at least two openings 44 aligned with correspondingopenings 42 in the side flanges of the column and a pinch-pin lockingdevice 45 is employed with each set of aligned openings in opposite sideanges 24 and plates 34.

As fully described in the copending applica-tion heretofore identiiied,the horizontal rails 6 are secured to plates which may be identical tothe column connector plates 34 and are therefore mountable on andremovable from the columns 2 in exactly the same manner as describedherein. The pinch-pin locking device 45 of FIG. 5 may also be used tolock the rails 6 in position on the rack.

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 illus-trate a novel reinforcement bar for use withcolumns of the type described in connection with FIG. 4. The columns 2are preferably made of sheet metal for economy and ease of constructionand, for reasons of economy, it is desirable to form basic columns allof the same thickness of material. However, it is sometimes desirable tostore materials on such a rack having greater weight than can be safelyor advisedly `supported by the basic column structures. This isparticularly true when unusually high racks are assembled, employing thecolumn connectors described in FIGS. 2 to 4. To strengthen, rigidi-fyand increase the load-carry ing capacity of the columns 2, applicantsprovide Z-bar reinforcing bars, one of which is shown in perspective inFIG. 8. The reinforcing bars are used in pairs, each being identical tothe other. Each of the reinforcing bars `comprises a web portion 60, andoppositely directed 1ongitudinal edge flanges 62 and 64. The flanges 62and 64 extend laterally in opposite directions from oppositelongitudinal edges of the web 60. Adjacent the flange 64, the web 6i) isprovided with a row of openings 66 therethrough Ispaced apart a distanceequal to the spacing between openings 42 inthe side ilanges of thecolumns and of the same size as those openings 42. When it lis desiredor necessary to reinforce a column 2, the Z-bar reinforcements of FIG. 8are nested therewith as illustrated in FIG. 7. As shown, the reinforcingbars are placed inside the open channel of column 2 with the webs 60abutting the inner faces of the side flanges 24. The edge flange 62 liesagainst the inner face of front web 22 of the column whereas edge ange64 extends across the rearmost or free edge of side ange 24. With theZ-bar reinforcements in such position the openings 66 therein may bebrought into alignment and registry with the openings 42 in the sideflanges of the column. The flanges 62 are relatively narrow and abut theinner face of front web 22 only along the outer edges thereof withoutobstructing the openings 32 in the front web of the column member andthus the openings 32 are left free of obstruction for engagement thereinby hooks 38 of any of the other attachments hereto-fore described or tobe described.

The Z-bar reinforcements may be secured and locked in the describedposition by means of the pinch-pin locking devices 45, previouslydescribed, by positioning the same with their pins 46 extending throughaligned openings 66 and 42, or Ithey may be releasably bolted inposition by the use of bolts 68 and nuts 69. Obviously, both thepinch-pin locking devices and bolts 68 may be ernployed, if desired, asshown in FIG. 6.

FIGS. 6 and 7 also illustrate the manner of mounting rails 6 on thecolumns and it is obvious that the mounting plates 34 for fthe rails 6may be identical in every respect to the column connectors described inconnection with FIGS. 2 through 4, it only being necessary to weld orotherwise secure the ends of rails 6 to the plates 34.

It is often and frequently desirable to assemble racks of the typeinvolved herein in spaced relation to a wall or other similar racks. Itis also desirable to provide suitable bracing between an assembled rackand an adjacent structure to prevent sway thereof or inadvertent lateraldisplacement of the rack along the floor in the event it is impacted orbumped into by fork lift trucks or the like. To this end applicantprovides a novel adjustable brace structure, one form of which is shownin FIGS. 9 and 10. The adjustable brace of FIG. 9 comprises a pair oftelescopically related open channel members 7i) and 72. The channelmember 70 is telescopically slidable within channel member 72 to adjustthe overall length of the brace. It is to be noted that members 70 and72 are arranged with their open sides coincident so that the interiorsthereof are readily accessible from one side of the brace. Side flanges74 and 76 of channel member 70 are opposed and flanges 78 and 80 ofchannel member 72 are also opposed and respectively overlie the flanges74 and 76. Each of the flanges 74 to 80 is provided with a row ofopenings 82 therethrough. The openings 82 are equally spaced in all theiianges so that they may be brought into registry or alignment for thereception of the locking pins 46 of a pinch-pin locking device 45 aspreviously described. Positioning or release of the locking device 45inside the brace is made possible by the open side thereof. It will beobvious that the length of the brace may be adjusted to the desiredvalue and locked at such adjustment in the manner shown.

The outer ends of the channel members 70 and 72 have cross plates 84 and86 respectively secured thereto as by welding or the like. The plates S4and 86 are each provided with a pair of the downwardly extending hooks38 previously described. Thus, a brace such as shown in FIG. 9 may beemployed to brace one rack against another as illustrated in FIG. 1. Thehooks 38 on one of the channel members 70 or 72 is engaged with theopenings 32 in a front column of a rear rack and extends forwardlytherefrom between the side iianges 24 of the rear column of an adjacentrack and the hook elements 38 at the forward end of the brace are hookedthrough openings 32 of the adjacent column from the inside and thusprovide an eflicient =brace between adjacent rack structures.

FIG. 11 shows a modified form of brace which is identical in allrespects to that described in connection with FIG. 9 except that theplate 86 and hook elements 38 of 'the channel member 72 are replaced bya single plate 88 provided with openings 90 therethrough. The plate 88is preferably welded to the end of channel member 72 and may be screwedor bolted to a wall or other bracing structure wherever necessary ordesired. In other respects the brace of FIG. 11 is adjustable andemployed in the same manner as that described in connection with FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is a perspective View illustrating a novel reel bearingattachment for use with the type of column 2 previously described. Thereel bearing of FIG. 12 includes a mounting plate 34 which is secured tothe column 2Vin exactly the same manner as the column connectorsdescribed in connection with FIGS. 2 to 4 and the plate 34 may beidentical to the column connector plate so the same reference numeralsare employed in FIG. 12 to identify the parts thereof. An extensionplate or gusset 92 is edge-welded to the forward edge of plate 34 toform a coplanar extension thereof. An upwardly open short channel member94, of substantially V-shape in vertical transverse section, isend-Welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the outer face of plates 34and 92 to extend laterally therefrom in a direction toward anothercolumn of the rack structure. The channel member 94 is shown having anupst-anding forward flange 96. It is to be noted that plate 34 at leastpartially obstructs the inner end of channel member 94 and, with plate92, constitutes an abutment extending thereacross. The plates 34 and 92thus serve to limit axial movement of a reel shaft 18 (shown in dottedline in FIG. 12) which supports a reel 20 as described in connectionwith FIG. 1. The reel bearing shown in FIG. 12 is represented in FIG. 1by numeral 14. FIG. 12 also shows a locking pin 46 extending through thealigned openings 42 of side ilange 24 and 44 of plate 34. It is to beunderstood that the locking pin 46 shown in FIG. 12 is one of the pinsof a pinch-pin locking device 45 as shown in FIG. 5.

The upstanding ilange 96 serves to prevent inadvertent displacement ofshaft 18 in the event a reel 2i? is rotated in a forward direction andshaft 1S turns therewith and tends to roll up the forward incline of theV-shaped channel member 94. The reel bearing attachment of FIG. 12 maybe selectively positioned on any column at any elevation and securelybut releasably locked in such position against any twisting or slidingmovement relative to column 2, as is also the case with all otherattachments described herein.

FIG. 13 shows a modified form of reel bearing structure for use where itis desired to support -or store a pair of reels in axial alignment onsuch a rack structure. As shown in FIG. 13, a pair of plates 34 areprovided and are structurallyidentioal to the column connector plates 34described in connection with FIGS. 2 through 4 and are mounted on andlocked to the column 2 in the same manner as heretofore described. Thereel bearing feature is provided by an upwardly open V-shaped channelmember 160 extending across the front face of front web 22 of the column2 and across the flange portions 36 of plates 34. The openchannel-shaped member 100 is provided with a rear vertical ange 102extending across and face-abutting the front face of the iiange portions36 and is welded or otherwise rigidly and permanently secured thereto. Atransverse partition or abutment 104 is rigidly and xedly mounted in theV-shaped channel of member 100 intermediate the ends thereof and ispreferably (though not necessarily) located substantially midway betweenthe ends of member 100 and substantially centrally of the column 2. Asdescribed in connection with FIG. 4, the plates 34 may be simultaneouslyslid rearwardly then downwardly into interlocking and supported relationwith the column 2 and may be locked in such position by the pins 46 ofone or more pinch-pin locking devices 45 of the type shown in FIG. 5.FIG. 1 schematically shows a reel bearing 16 which corresponds to thedouble reel bearing of FIG. 13 and may be employed in an obvious mannerto support the adjacent ends of aligned shafts supporting differentreels on the rack.

It is to be noted that, Without the pins 46 in place, any load carriedby an attachment is transmitted to a column only through the hooks 38and front web 22. This is an eccentric loading of the column and resultsin reducing the load-carrying capacity thereof. The presence of pin 46,however, near the rear edges of side flanges 24 balances or centralizesthe loading of the column and increases its load-carrying capacity.

While a limited number of speciiic embodiments of the invention areshown and described herein, it is to be understood that the same aremerely illustrative of the principles of the invention, which coversother forms and modifications falling within the scope of the appendedclaims.

We claim:

1. In a pallet rack, a sheet metal column member of channel shape havinga central web and side flanges, openings in said central web forsupporting other rack elements, a pair of elongated sheet metalreinforcing members each having a web and oppositely directed edgeiianges, said reinforcing members being arranged with their webs inface-abutting engagement with the inner surfaces of said side flanges,one of the edge iianges of each reinforcing member lying against theinner face of said central web and the other edge liange of eachextending across the edge of the adjacent side flange remote from saidweb, said one edge iiange being relatively narrow whereby said openingsin said central web are not obstructed thereby, aligned openings in saidside flanges of said column member and said webs of said reinforcingmembers, removable pin means in said aligned openings releasablysecuring said reinforcing members to said column member, and resilientmeans releasably holding said pins in said openings.

2. In a pallet rack, a column comprising a pair of column members ofopen-channel shape arranged in Vertical alignment and end-abuttingrelation, each of said column members comprising a front web andparallel side anges, the free edges of said side flanges being reverselybent outwardly of said anges to define, with the outer faces of saidflanges, shallow grooves facing in the direction of said web, said webhaving a pair of parallel rows of longitudinally spaced openingstherethrough, a connector plate abutting the outer face of each of saidside flanges, each plate having a rear edge portion in said shallowgrooves and each plate spanning the juncture between said columnmembers, each of said plates having hook means at its front edge engagedin at least one opening in each of said column members, and releasablelocking means locking said plates on said column members.

3. A rack as defined in claim 2 wherein said locking means comprisesaligned openings in said connector plates and said side anges, alignedlocking pins extending outf 8 wardly through said aligned openings, anda bowed spring having its ends secured to said pins and releasablyholding said pins in said aligned openings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS769,641 Sewell Sept. 6, 1904 1,730,618 Mayo Oct. 8, 1929 1,792,100Kohler Feb. 10, 1931 2,103,106 Yurkovitch Dec. 21, 1937 2,594,605Zoppelt Apr. 29, 1952 2,642,249 Samuels June 16, 1953 2,682,321 Le BrockJune 29, 1954 2,683,927 Maronek July 20, 1954 2,708,494 Larsen May 17,1955 2,771,261 Niggeloh Nov. 20, 1956 2,779,561 Blundeau Jan. 29, 19572,781,110 Weller Feb. 12, 1957 2,829,743 Strauss Apr. 18, 1958 2,893,567Steele July 7, 1959 2,895,619 Frazier July 21, 1959 2,898,741 MillikenAug. 11, 1959 2,925,920 Skubic Feb. 23, 1960 2,932,368 Schell Apr. 12,1960 2,993,570 Bender July 25, 1961 3,072,262 Cassel Jan. 8, 1963

2. IN A PALLET RACK, A COLUMN COMPRISING A PAIR OF COLUMN MEMBERS OFOPEN-CHANNEL SHAPE ARRANGED IN VERTICAL ALIGNMENT AND END-ABUTTINGRELATION, EACH OF SAID COLUMN MEMBERS COMPRISING A FRONT WEB ANDPARALLEL SIDE FLANGES, THE FREE EDGES OF SAID SIDE FLANGES BEINGREVERSELY BENT OUTWARDLY OF SAID FLANGES TO DEFINE, WITH THE OUTER FACESOF SAID FLANGES, SHALLOW GROOVES FACING IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID WEB,SAID WEB HAVING A PAIR OF PARALLEL ROWS OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACEDOPENINGS THERETHROUGH, A CONNECTOR PLATE ABUTTING THE OUTER FACE OF EACHOF SAID SIDE FLANGES, EACH PLATE HAVING A REAR EDGE PORTION IN SAIDSHALLOW GROOVES AND EACH PLATE SPANNING THE JUNCTURE